If Garcia had played a full season with the Dynamo he might have been worthy of being a finalist for the MLS Most Valuable Player award, although that honor belongs to former Dynamo forward Chris Wondolowski of the San Jose Earthquakes.

The list of 2012 MLS award finalists, which has no member of the team in control of the Eastern Conference championship, validates the depth and strength of the defending Eastern Conference champion Dynamo.

The Dynamo might not have an MLS MVP candidate, but they carry a two-goal lead into the final leg of the Eastern Conference championship against D.C. United on Sunday at RFK Stadium.

Translator

To read this article in one of Houston's most-spoken languages, click on the button below.

"There's something special about this team," said Hall, who set a franchise single-season record with 12 shutouts. "People put the team ahead of themselves more than I've really ever seen or experienced at the professional level."

Overshadowed

The Dynamo don't have the flashiest and most impressive roster. Leading scorer Will Bruin, who had 12 goals in the regular season and four in the playoffs, doesn't fit the model of the dangerous forward.

All he does is score. Imagine that?

Center backs Bobby Boswell and Jermaine Taylor were amazing in the regular season, yet they weren't among the three finalists for 2012 MLS Defender of the Year.

Victor Bernardez of the San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting Kansas City teammates Matt Besler and Aurelien Collin were the Defender of the Year finalists.

All three are worthy candidates, but look how K.C. did against the Dynamo's defense compared to how well the Dynamo offense fared against Besler and Collin's defense. Boswell and Taylor had their way with Sporting while going undefeated in three regular-season matches before eliminating the top seed in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The MLS Rookie of the Year finalists are worthy, but my nod would go to D.C. United's Nick De Leon over Chicago's Austin Berry and Vancouver's Darren Mattocks.

I don't understand why Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear doesn't get more national recognition. He was not among the three finalists for the 2012 MLS Coach of the Year, which will be decided among D.C. United's Ben Olsen, Sporting's Peter Vermes and Kinnear's mentor Frank Yallop of the San Jose Earthquakes.

Fair-minded

Considering the whining about fouls from Vermes and Olsen this postseason, it's ironic the Dynamo are finalists for the only team award that isn't decided with goals on the pitch. The Dynamo, Chicago Fire and New England Revolution are the three finalists for the Xbox Team Fair Play award.

That winner will be announced Monday, a day after the Dynamo conclude their Eastern Conference title set against D.C. United. Hall and his teammates would love to trade all the individual glory for the franchise's third MLS Cup title in seven years and the first since 2007.